Thoughts on what we need to do next

When President Obama first ran in 2008, I was seventeen and still in high school. I couldn’t vote for him and it made me so angry, but I still voiced my support for him. I watched and cried as he won the presidency and the second time he ran, in 2012, I was 21 and voted for him. He had always been such a sure thing in my mind. And despite the things he lacked as a president, in my opinion, he is the best modern president this country has had. Given the political, economic and social climate he came into, he’s done well.

Where does our story belong in this latest political race? Why should we, as average, everyday Americans care about what happens?

Even if Trump were to have lost the election and Hilary was the first woman president, this past year and a half happened. The thing this election process has shown everyone is the amount of racism and sexism that is rampant in this country.

Do we want the civil right movement we learned about in history books to not matter? What is the point of voting and rallying against Trump if nothing has changed in this country? I am sick and tired of these racist, ignorant people getting a say in what happens in this country.

What do we do now? As we wake up and spending an hour in traffic, headed to work or school, there’s this numb feeling in our bodies. Hopelessness because Trump has won the race.

This is a chart of how those 18-25 voted. The future of this country. This is how brown and black and queer and poor and oppressed people voted.

I’ve had a number of conversations with my friends and the common theme is fear. Fear and confusion. I had so much confidence that Clinton would win, which is why I’m confused. I surround myself with people who are like-minded: against racism and sexism and for progression. Instead, we are faced with the reality that there is a large majority of this country that supports a man who the KKK openly supports. Trump’s entire campaign was fueled by hate, which has been allowed to grow and strengthen within his supporters.

Though I am incredibly disappointed, but I am not surprised. This country was built on the oppression of those not white and male. Why should we be surprised that Trump won? There have been so many people who claim that America is post-racial. But think about it, they (meaning Trump’s majority white supporter) were so against Obama and anything progressive, they chose Trump as their candidate. America has never been post anything.

I’m trying to figure out and find the words to explain how I feel. But, the only thing I can say is we should not and will not stand idly by. Maybe this will be the fuel we need to get things done. To change things. To fight the fight those who came before couldn’t finish. What does that fight look like? We’re about to find out.